


Five Universes Where Sam Vimes Died

by fairyfeller



Category: Discworld - Terry Pratchett
Genre: 5 Times, Gen, The Trousers of Time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-19
Updated: 2016-03-20
Packaged: 2018-05-27 18:07:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6294478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fairyfeller/pseuds/fairyfeller
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The trousers of time are a tricky thing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Universes Where He Dies

**I: The Revolution**

He was young and idealistic, fighting for a cause he believed in. But although belief is powerful, especially on a world balanced on the the back of four elephants, it isn’t always enough.

He didn’t get truth, he didn’t get justice, and he didn’t get any eggs, hard-boiled or otherwise. What he did get was a crossbow bolt through his chest.

Vimes was buried with the rest of the fallen with a sprig of lilac in his shirt, his grave between John Keel and Ned Coates. And the world went on without him, his death remembered only by a few.

 

**II: The Gutter**

He’s not as young as he used to be, and not nearly as idealistic. What’s the use in changing the world? The world doesn’t care. The city certainly doesn’t care. And only truth worth finding these days is in the bottom of a bottle.

Vimes looked up at the stars from the gutter, his mind swirling in a drunken haze. He looked up at the stars, and did not get up.

He was buried in the cemetery of the Small Gods, his funeral attended solely by Watchmen, and not many at that. The Night Watch is disbanded not long after.

 

**III: The Army**

_…bingeley-bingeley beep…_

Vimes groaned. His whole body radiated pain as he tried to sit up.

 _…Seven en em… lead charge of D'regs.._.

He was the last one left. Cheery was gone. Reg had gone down fighting. Carrot was sprawled somewhere to his right.

_…Things To Do Today: Arrest Battlefield…_

The barricades hadn’t been enough to stop the army, but at least they had slowed them down, had given Vimes enough time to start evacuating parts of the city.

He only hoped that Angua could find some reinforcements.

_…Two thirty-three pe em… return to Ankh-Morpork…_

His last thoughts were of Sybil.

 

**IV: The Revolution, Part 2**

Through some cruel twist of fate, Sam Vimes was back in Treacle Mine Road, back in the barricades. No longer young, not quite as idealistic, but still willing to fight. This time though, he was prepared

Some things remained the same; the line in the sand, the lilac, the singing, the deaths. But he managed to keep the republic going, if only for a few hours more, was able to change history, if only a little.

He was not, however, able to stop Carcer. He didn’t to return to his timeline. John Keel died, and Sam Vimes died with him.

 

**V: The Streets**

His boots pounded down onto the cobblestones. Up ahead, he could see Carrot also giving chase, could see the distant figure of the unlicensed thief.

He didn’t pay attention to the first stab of pain in his chest; he wasn’t getting any younger, wasn’t getting any fitter, should probably cut down on-

He staggered, crashing to the floor as the pain ripped through his chest. _Ye gods_ , he thought, fighting to keep breath in his lungs, _this can’t be it can it?_

He thought of Young Sam, waiting to hear his bedtime story. He wished he could have more time.


	2. And the Universe Where He Doesn't

It was, of course, the greatest irony; after years of bemoaning the existence of the undead he ended up becoming one of them.

It wasn't so terrible to start with, not once he had time to get used to it. Having to reattach the occasional body part was a nuisance, as was the constant supply of leaflets from Reg Shoe, but he found ways of coping. Sybil was a great source of comfort, as always, able to help keep some of the darker thoughts away and helping to maintain some level of normality in the household.

Being undead had its perks. He was able to watch Young Sam grow up without the fear of the boy losing a father, which was a joy. Criminals were more afraid of him than ever and were more likely to come quietly, and diplomatic meetings became a lot more interesting, if only for the looks on the ambassadors' faces when he entered the room.

But there was one major downside to living forever, and it outweighed the perks by a lot.

Fred Colon was the first; a heart attack. Mrs. Colon was the one to break the news to the Watch, barely able to speak through her tears. Nobby followed several years later, after a long illness. No one had known about it until the day he had collapsed.

Vetinari managed to surprise Vimes one last time by dying - he'd half-thought the old bastard was immortal.

One by one the familiar faces in the Watch House dwindled; five people gone, then eight, ten....

He stopped counting the deaths on the day of Sybil's funeral, and started drinking again on the day of his son's.

He considered quitting the Watch, but what else was there for him? The only thing he had left was his badge. So he continued to patrol the streets, the last of John Keel's men.


End file.
